Po Valley Campaign - The Battle of Madonna dell Almost

The Piedmontese attempted to break the Gallispan siege of Cuneo and attacked a force of Spanish and French a short distance northwest of the city.

This proved to be a small scale action. Once I'd transposed the map of the battleground of Madonna dell Olmo onto the table it fitted on a space 100x60cm. Representing an area 3 miles by less than 2.

The table before troops positioned. Madonna dell Olmo is the churchy thing on the right edge. Cuneo would be off to the bottom right corner.

Looking east from Madonna dell Olmo

Now with the troops positioned. Piedmontese to the top. They have elected to send a powerful cavalry force on a flanking move from their right (columns about to cross the road top left. Their infantry would assault the village east of MdO.

The Piedmontese concentrate their artillery on the left to batter the enemy in the village and walls opposite.

The Spanish right looking from MdO

The field looking from east to west. Piedmontese to the left. Spanish on the right.

Piedmontese flanking force

Spanish centre.

After 19 turns the Piedmontese infantry has chased the Spanish out of the village, threatening the Spanish route back to the city

View of the same from the Spanish point of view

Piedmontese cavalry has pushed the French cavalry (assigned to the Spanish for the day). At the end the Piedmontese still had 4 brigades of cavalry left. The Gallispans just the one.

At this point I decided the Spanish would retreat rather than risk a total collapse. Campaigns do make you think differently. Losses weren't too heavy for either side after I diced for recoveries.  Now to decide what the Gallispans will do. Their siege is definitely under threat, although they still outnumber the Piedmontese when taking the siege force into account.